1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of multimedia and communications and, more specifically, to a programmable multimedia controller for home, commercial, professional audio or video, broadcast or film studio, security, automation or other use which is capable of interfacing with, controlling and managing a wide variety of audio, video, telecommunications, data communications and other devices.
2. Background Information
Commercial offerings of consumer electronic devices have expanded dramatically in response to the falling cost of electronic hardware and introduction of new media. For example, within only a few years, compact disk (CD) technology largely displaced vinyl records and magnetic tapes as the music recording medium of choice, but was in turn displaced by MP3 technology. Similarly, digital versatile disk (DVD) technology largely displaced videotape as the video recording medium of choice, while digital cameras have effectively replaced film cameras. The advent of new technologies and media, and the corresponding consumer demand for products based on the latest advances, drives manufacturers to rapidly introduce new products. As a result, an overwhelming number of product types and models permeate the market.
One long-standing problem which persists for many consumers is the complexity involved with interconnecting various electronic devices which are typically sold individually and not as parts of an integrated system. For example, a consumer may acquire an audio receiver, cable TV box, television, DVD player and surround sound system made by different manufacturers. The basic problem of interconnecting a group of components by a series of cables is challenging for many users, let alone sufficiently understanding the various modes of operations and features which, if properly used, will allow the components to work best together and produce the most enjoyable entertainment experiences.
Another long-standing problem with most, if not all, previous approaches to integrating disparate components is that some type of central controller is used which operates on software written in a high-level computer language. The use of a high-level computer language presents several difficulties. First, it is all but certain that the manufacturer will not make the source code available to the user, thus effectively preventing a user who wished to customize a system from doing so. Second, even if the source code is made available, the overwhelming majority of users do not have the technical expertise, time or inclination to write or modify source code. Third, the introduction of new devices by manufacturers almost certainly necessitate that the source code be modified in order to make the central controller compatible with such devices.
Yet another long-standing problem is an absence of any widely adopted industry standard regarding control interfaces for consumer electronics devices. Manufacturers have incorporated varying communication protocols, most of which are proprietary in nature, do not conform to any standard, and are implemented with extremely detailed source code. This absence of standards greatly complicates the problem of how to integrate and centrally control a wide variety of consumer electronics devices such that they work together and are manageable by an average user who does not possess substantial technical expertise.